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You cannot connect directly to FoxPro databases in Access 2007 and in Access 2003

  • Article
  • Applies to:
    Microsoft Office Access 2007, Microsoft Office Access 2003

Original KB number:   824264

Note

This article applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb or .accdb). Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

Symptoms

In Microsoft Office Access 2007 and in Microsoft Office Access 2003, you may not be able to import, export, or link to Microsoft FoxPro databases directly because the Import, Export, and Link dialog boxes do not include the FoxPro database as an option in the Files of type list.

Cause

This problem occurs because the Microsoft FoxPro ISAM driver is not included in Access 2007 and in Access 2003.

Resolution

Import from a FoxPro database

To import data from a FoxPro database, use the Microsoft Visual FoxPro ODBC driver. To do so, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

  2. In Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools.

  3. In the Administrative Tools window, double-click Data Sources (ODBC), and then add a new ODBC data source for your FoxPro database or tables by selecting the appropriate Visual FoxPro driver.

  4. Start Access, and then open your Access database.

  5. On the File menu, point to Get External Data, and then click Import.

    Note

    If you use Access 2007, click More in the Import group on the External Data tab, and then select ODBC Database.

  6. In the Import dialog box, click ODBC Databases in the Files of type list.

    Note

    If you use Access 2007, click to select the Import the source data into a new table in the current database option in the Select the source and destination of the data dialog box, and then click OK.

  7. In the Select Data Source dialog box, click the Visual FoxPro data source that you created in step 3, and then click OK.

  8. In the Import Objects dialog box, click the tables that you want to link, and then click OK.

To link to a FoxPro database, use the Microsoft Visual FoxPro ODBC driver. To do so, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

  2. In Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools.

  3. In the Administrative Tools window, double-click Data Sources (ODBC), and then add a new ODBC data source for your FoxPro database or tables by selecting the appropriate Visual FoxPro driver.

  4. Start Microsoft Access, and then open your Access database.

  5. On the File menu, point to Get External Data, and then click Link Tables.

    Note

    If you use Access 2007, click More in the Import group on the External Data tab, and then select ODBC Database.

  6. In the Link dialog box, click ODBC Databases in the Files of type list.

    Note

    If you use Access 2007, click to select the Link to the data source by creating a linked table option in the Select the source and destination of the data dialog box, and then click OK.

  7. In the Select Data Source dialog box, click the Visual FoxPro data source that you created in step 3, and then click OK.

  8. In the Link Tables dialog box, click the tables that you want to import, and then click OK.

Export to a FoxPro database

To export data to a FoxPro database, use the Microsoft Visual FoxPro ODBC driver. To do so, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

  2. In Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools.

  3. In the Administrative Tools window, double-click Data Sources (ODBC), and then add a new ODBC data source for your FoxPro database or tables by selecting the appropriate Visual FoxPro driver.

  4. Start Microsoft Access, and then open your Access database.

  5. On the File menu, click Export.

    Note

    If you use Access 2007, follow these steps:

    1. Click the Microsoft Office button, and then click Access Options.
    2. In the list in the left pane, click Customize.
    3. In the Choose commands from list, select All commands.

  6. In the Export Table 'tablename' To... dialog box, click ODBC Databases in the Save as type list.

    Note

    If you use Access 2007, follow these steps:

    1. Click Export selected object to an ODBC database, click Add, and then click OK.
    2. On the Quick Access toolbar, click Export selected object to an ODBC database.

  7. In the Export dialog box, type the name of the new table, and then click OK.

  8. In the Select Data Source dialog box, click the Visual FoxPro data source that you created in step 3, and then click OK.

More Information

In earlier versions of Access and the Microsoft Jet database engine, you can move data between FoxPro databases and Access databases. The Microsoft FoxPro ISAM driver connects Access to FoxPro databases. However, the Microsoft FoxPro ISAM driver is not included in Access 2000 and later. As a result, you can no longer access FoxPro data through the Microsoft Jet database engine. You can only access FoxPro data by using the Microsoft Visual FoxPro ODBC driver.

Steps to reproduce the problem in Access 2003

  1. Open an Access database.
  2. On the File menu, point to Get External Data, and then click Import.
  3. In the Import dialog box, click the Files of type list.

Note

The Microsoft FoxPro ISAM driver is not listed in the Files of type list.

References

For more information about how to set up ODBC data sources, click Microsoft Office Access Help on the Help menu, typeset up or change ODBC data sourcesin the Search for box in the Assistance pane, and then click Start searching to view the topic.